


as long as you're with me, you'll be just fine

by lunatic_zephyr



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Ambiguous Universe, Anyways, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Figgis the cat makes an appearance, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Oops, Prompt Fill, but also eh, i would tag this as do not archive bc if bryn saw this sheer level of fluff i would die, idk man aziza is alive and i never mentioned magic, its very soft guys i really went overboard here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 15:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19321258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunatic_zephyr/pseuds/lunatic_zephyr
Summary: Zolf has a nightmare. Hamid is there.Prompt fill for pitchblackkoi: "Nothing is going to hurt you."





	as long as you're with me, you'll be just fine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pitchblackkoi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pitchblackkoi/gifts).



Dealing with each other's nightmares isn't an uncommon thing for Zolf and Hamid. It isn't a pleasant thing either, watching the other shiver through the past's clutches, but the overall experience is made easier through gentle touches and reassuring murmurs whispered across the pillows. 

 

There’s no competition about who has it worse, but there is a difference between the two. Hamid’s turn him into a weeping pile of limbs, his small frame wracked with sobs. Zolf’s nightmares often result in thrashing fits and a slurred stream of pleas to someone whose name Hamid can never quite make out. It always ends the same, though: one of them holding the other in an embrace tighter than stacked stones on air and waves on a shipwreck, as one of them struggles to piece himself back together in the land of the living.

 

It’s one of those nights where Hamid can’t sleep, drifting in and out of light slumber. Figgis, their cat, is curled up on his legs, causing Hamid to be loathe to move and wake her. Instead, he lies blearily awake, counting the puckers in the ceiling when it starts.

 

Zolf mutters something unintelligible before turning over in his sleep, the first sign. Hamid notices the crease in his lover’s brow, and waits for the low rumble of Zolf’s rest to be interrupted once more.   

 

It comes again, and Hamid nudges Zolf’s tattoo-covered arm. “Zolf?” he says, hoping to ease Zolf out of the dream before it gets too rough.

 

Zolf stirs, and Hamid’s hope flares once more until he sees the cold sweat beading on Zolf’s forehead. Oh, dear. 

 

“Zolf, darling,” he tries again.

 

“No,” Zolf mumbles. “No, no, no,” he repeats, and Hamid has a sinking feeling that Zolf isn’t talking to him. 

 

“Love, you’re dreaming,” Hamid says weakly, but Zolf’s already started twitching, choked sounds coming from his throat.

 

Zolf always tells Hamid not to touch him when he’s in the middle of a nightmare, something about him being afraid of lashing out on accident. It’s always a test of resolve for Hamid, watching helplessly as Zolf floats adrift in the tempestuous waves of an unforgiving dream.

 

He tries again, raising his voice the way he always hates to as Zolf starts to writhe.

 

“Zolf, please, love, wake  _ up _ -!”

 

A few tense moments later, Zolf jerks awake with a strangled gasp, thrusting the sheets away from him. 

 

“Zolf,” Hamid begins, but Zolf’s already upright and doubled over on the edge of the bed, struggling to catch his breath. Something like a sob barely makes it out of his throat before it’s swallowed back down. 

 

"Zolf, it's alright. You're safe, love," Hamid sits up and reaches for him, startling Figgis awake. She meows in annoyance as Hamid moves to perch next to Zolf on the mattress’ edge. Zolf is staring at the empty air like it’s wronged him somehow, until Hamid takes his fist-clenched hands in his.

 

His touch stirs Zolf from whatever thought he’s been lost in, and he turns towards Hamid, still trembling slightly. Hamid sits up on his knees and presses his forehead to Zolf’s to steady him, his voice rough with sleep and a soothing whisper.

 

“It’s alright, darling, I’m here. Nothing’s going to hurt you,” says Hamid, and Zolf lets out a shaky breath at that. They stay like that for some time, even when Figgis slinks over to wind herself in and out between Zolf’s feet. Finally, Zolf pulls back, leaning down to pet her, and she purrs loudly. Hamid watches him, studying the circles under Zolf’s eyes, and rubs kinder circles over the knuckles of Zolf’s hand that he’s still holding. 

 

“Do you want to try and lie back down?” he suggests. Zolf is quiet for a moment, scratching behind Figgis’ ears. 

 

“Might as well,” he says finally, his voice hoarse. Hamid moves back towards his side of the bed, though still remaining close as Zolf steels himself and lays back onto the sheets. He tentatively holds a hand out to Hamid (Zolf’s getting better but still can’t bring himself to say what he wants out loud), and the halfling smiles gently as he tucks himself into Zolf’s side. He winds one arm around Zolf’s waist, the other coming up to pull him down so that Zolf’s face is tucked into the crook of Hamid’s neck. Zolf takes another deep breath, some of the tension in his shoulders easing out as he exhales, and Hamid can feel Zolf’s eyelashes flutter against his skin as he closes his eyes again. 

 

Hamid smiles a bit as Zolf curls into him, arms wrapping around him along with the smell of sandalwood and ocean air, and he rests his cheek in the soft down of Zolf’s hair. They lie there like that for a minute, before Hamid extends the olive branch one of the few ways he knows how. 

 

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks. Zolf stiffens a bit at the question. 

 

"No," he says tightly.

 

"That's okay," Hamid says softly, his thumb stroking the bearded edge of Zolf's jawline. “It’s okay. You don’t have to.” Zolf relaxes at that, and Hamid takes the opportunity to press a kiss into his hair.  

 

“Sorry,” says Zolf a few moments later. “About...all of this.”

 

Hamid hugs him a little tighter. “You don’t need to apologize to me, darling,” he says quietly, combing his fingers through Zolf’s hair, “You never have to.” 

 

Zolf doesn’t reply to this, just tucks his face further into the hollow of Hamid’s throat. “Love you,” he murmurs softly after a few moments, and Hamid wonders if Zolf can feel the way his heart stutters a bit. 

 

He just smiles again and continues running his hand through Zolf’s hair. “I love you too, darling,” he says. Zolf lets out another small sigh, (whether out of relief or gratitude, it’s hard to tell) and lets Hamid hum a tune that Aziza taught him once until they both drift off into a kinder dream world.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment/kudos please!


End file.
